Smyrna times., 1887-02-16
For the Smyrna Times.
Our Dover Letter.
THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
DOVER, DEL, February 10, 1887.
There has been nothing exciting or
very interesting transacted by the Leg
islature since my last letter. excepting
the resolution offered by Mr.. NOrney
in the House Thursday (which was
more interesting than exciting) inVit-
ing the people to petition the Legisla-
ture to give them a constitutional con
ventiOn. 1t seems strange such IA resO.
luton should be offered by a member
who said he would work for q cOnven-
ventiOn during the campaign, and who
was elected partly for that object by
his constituents. The resolution had
the effect of drawing out the sentiments
of the members in regard to the matter,
most of them favoring it, but they don't
want to be responsible for favOring
it. They know their constituents want
it, yet they are afraid to 20 on record
one way or the other. OF course the
leaders have a great deal to do with the
matter, and it is more than likely all
constitutional reforms will be nipped in
the bud by them. One of the factions,
which came out in its organ before the
election in favor of constitutional re-
form, is not so much in love with the
idea as it thought it was since it has the
Governor, and the Governor has the ap-
pointing of officers who should be
elected by the people and would be if
the Constitution was remOdeled.
Whether the Legislature will 90
| directly against the wishes ofthe people
is hard to say, but it looks as if it will.
The passage of the bill Furnishing
false registration and pedigree of ami
mails takes employment away from one
class Of persons who are or have been Il
necessary evil-horse traders. No per-
son in this State need be afraid of being
beguiled into buying Il spawned animal
for Maud :. horse, and some persons
will commence to think that life is
worth living after all and that the
members who voted for the bill should
have medals. The punishment inflicted
by the bill is $500 fine and one years
imprisonment for each and every
offence,
Mr.. Medill introduced bill the first
part of the week providing that the
Levy Court of New Castle county be
abolished and three commissioners sub
stituted, with the powers held by the
Court. The bill is very lengthy and
cOntemplates dividing the county into
three districts and the election of one
commissioner from each, at a salary of
81 900 per year, which is thought bv
some to be pretty fat thing. Feb
ruary, 1891, is the time set apart by the
bill for 1t to go into operation, and all
those Republicans now assessed will
probably be allowed to exercise their
franchise till then, when the delinduent
lists will be much larger than now.
Petitions are pouring into the Legis-
lature by the rolls asking that oleomar-
garine be prohibited from being sold in
this State, and it is thought that they
will have their desired effect. Mr..
Allaband, of North Murderkill, is the
champion of the anti-oleOmargariners.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
The candidacy of John &. Gooden
for the Librarians office, which is now
an established fact, has revived interest
in fact that everybody having bus
mess with that department had hoped
was settled. For it had been univer-
sally conceded up to this week at least
that Samuel Truitt could have no
serious opposition. Aud even now.
| while MIR. GOOden may be backed by n
! few politicians anxious to reward pOlit-
ical labor, it is not for a moment
thought that our Governor will lose
sight of the real and vital interests of
the Office itself as to remove one who
mas become almost as much of a neces
slty as the very documents themselves.
One thing Is certain, it will take apow-
ertul pressure to break the hold that
Mr.. ITuitt has upon the well-thinking
and interested patrons of the Library.
There Is quite contrast between
the resolution inviting the people to
| petition the Legislature if they want
the Constitution changed and the way
the petitions of the people who want
the present temperance laws changed
are treated. OF course, according to
the Delaware code, the people have IL
right to petition to have their COnsti-
tuition changed and other laws made or
changed, but they have no right to
change the liquor laws.
TOWN NOTES.
AhO BISdCcSJ oNCuG III society circles
occurred tonight at the Hotel Rich
ardsOn, the occasion being the Fourth
Annual Charity Ball. The costumes of
the ladies dancing tonight are mag
nificent and costly, and the ball is
claimed the greatest kind of a success.
The Annual Charity Ball is a regular
Dover institution, and a great deal of
money is raised in this manner for
charity.
Robert Weatherby. the 4-mOnths- old
son of Representative Jones, of this
town, died of membraneOus Group Sun
day morning.
Miss Jessie Butler gave a progressive
echru party last evening, and Mr.. and
Mrs r. S. Clark will give one Friday
evening.
JULIEN.